Machine for splitting concrete blocks, building stones, and the like



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c.'GArzKE STONES, lAND THE LIKE MACHINE FOR SiPLITTING CONCRETE BLOCKS, BUILDING Nov. 3, 1953 Filed Jan, 5, 1952 u -wmmmmwrl E v 6 7 5 uw 7 MM w 0 BUILDING 3 SheetsASheet 2- KZKE CRETE BLOCKS STONES, AND 'THE LIKE Nov. 3, 1953 c. G

l MACHINE FOR SPLITTING c FiledJan. 3, 1952 C.AGATZKE Nov. 3, 1953 2,657,681 MACHINE FOR SPLITTINC CONCRETE BLOCKS, BUILDING STONES, AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jian. 3, 1952 w NV .IIN

Patented Nov. 3, 1953 MACHINE FOR SPLITTING CONCRETE BLOCKS, BUILDING STONES, AND

THE LIKE Charles Gatzke, Des APlaines, Ill. Application January 3, 1952, Serial No.`264,744

`- Claims.

The` invention relates' to'a Ymachine `for 4splitting concrete Ablocksfbuilding `stones and other hard stone-likematerials employed in the buildlilng 'industry "fork erecting walls, floors, and the lA very important object of/theinvention is to provide a'simple but effective machine provided with vtwo Yknives for enga-ging lwith pressure oppositesidesof a 'building stone, rparticularly a pre-formed 'concrete rvblock 'to split the same in two or 'more pieces 'and whose split faces resemblenatural stone `inaneffort to economically irnitateltomanA 'brick and natural stone.

'Another obj ectof 'the' invention is `to' move at feast one knife,"butpreferablyboth knives, in such-a manner that the same are vmovedgradually into engagementwithopposite sides lof the building 'block engage the same Aalong their r'entireflen'gth 'in "such a vvmanner that 4upon Agradual 'increase "in pressure the knives venter slightlyinto the" body Aof Y"theblock so' as'to split vthesame along straight edges 'uniformly and without wastein two parts 'of the desired sizes.

It also Van"object ofthe invention'to 'provide hydraulically 'operated means for actuating the movable knife "and move it 'into engagement with gradual increasing ,force with the building block tobesplit v Still another object 'of the invention is to Vprovide a' concrete"block"splitting"machineY with two Yopygzo'sitely 'movable' horizontal knives and provide :means 4for operatively connecting "these 'two knives with each 'other in' sucha .manner 'that upon operation of'asingldhydraulicljack, both knives 'are moved 'inbppos'ite direction and into casefmay be, to bring thegcuttingedges ofthe :imives into engagement fwith opposite sides, of theconcrete blockfor splittingthesame. f

, 2 ment of the'concrete-block splitting machine of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View along the broken line II-II-of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view along the line III- III of Fig. 2,`

Fig. 4 illustrates in apartialsectional View similar to Fig. 2 the knives of Ythe machine in a position in which they-have split a concrete block,

Fig. 5 illustrates a partial front elevation View of a modied machine in which the knives are activated by a motor driven cam and lever mechanismyand n Fig. 6 illustrates in front elevation view a modied machine inwhich only one .of the two -splitting knives vis movable 4during the splitting oper-- ation.

Referring to the drawing, the mach-inelframe comprises two spaced vertical postsf'l and' connected at their lupper Vends -by a yhorizontal beam 9 and at their lower/ends bya pair of horizontal beams i, l I securedby welding or in other manner to the Vsid-e faces of the vertical posts fl and '8 as particularly shown in Fig. 2. The lower end lfaces ofthe posts 1 -and -8 are secured to -horizontal ybeams Vi2 and -l`3 'extending at right angles to the beams i0, `H andfformi-ng the base which supports the fra-me on the floor. All the posts `and beams are formed preferably of 'U -beams -or channels as shown,-`but it should be obvious that if desired these beams or some of these beamsV may have another profile ineross-section.

In a convenient height v'from the oor, Vthere are attached to both inwardly -d-irected faces -of the vertical posts 1 and' angle iron pieces-t5 which form V-a support for two plates I6 and -l'l which are arranged in -a lcommon horizontal'plane, forming a table top 'for supporting the concrete block 522 tobe split. The plates It-and'lllare separated by -a slot :23 for accommodatingfthe lower knife 2S adapted to engage Vthe lower face of a concrete block placed on the table top. i

iThe lower knife 26 is secured betweentwo ymounting lplates 2-1 kextending horizontally between the twol verticalipo'sts 1 and 8 and 'having secured at their endstwo'gu-ide plates 278 -slidably engaging for 'vertical movement opposite-'faces of vertical guide rails 29 `ii'xedly secured to the vertical posts l Vand '8. 4The elevation offthe lower knife 26 and Vits mounting Z'Iisadjustable by vertical screw bolts fe'xtending threadedly through the horizontal :a-nges of angleiron pieces V3l) `attached. to the posts lfand -8 directly b elowthe `guide railsf'29 and Y"engaging with their upper' lends "the- 'lower edge of the lower lknife mounting. uts 32 on the bolts 29 lock the latter in the desired position.

A horizontal beam structure comprising spaced parallel horizontal plates 35, 36 and spaced parallel vertical plates 31, 38 (Fig. 2) is mounted for vertical sliding movement between the two vertical posts l, 8 a small distance above the horizontal beams IU and l I.

Vertical guide plates 4B on the ends of the beam structure 35, 38, 3l, 38 are in sliding engagement with the opposite longitudinal faces of the posts l, 8 as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 5. The beam structure is suspended from the mounting plates 27 of the lower knife by a pair of strong tension springs 45 which have the tendency to move the beam structure upwardly.

A manually operable hydraulic jack 4B is mounted on the top plate 35 of the beam structure in such a manner that the vertically movable piston 4l or other lifting member of the jack engages the lower edge of the lower knife structure 2l (Fig. 1).

Two vertical screw spindles is extend through the horizontal beam structure and are each adapted to be locked to the latter in the desired position by a pair of clamping nuts 5t, one engaging the top and the other the bottom plate of the beam structure. The upper ends of the screw spindle i9 are each pivotally connected at 28 with the lower ends of a pair of links 5| or straps extending vertically upwardly throughkthe slot 23 in the table top i6, Il to be pivotally connected at 52 with the ends of a pair of horizontal mounting plates 53 which have ixedly secured therebetween the upper splitting knife 54. The ends of the horizontal mounting plates 53 have secured thereto a pair of guide plates 5S slidably engaging opposite faces of the guide rails 29 to guide the upper knife 5 during its vertical movement (Fig. l), Filler strips 3i are inserted in the space between the mounting plates El not occupied by the knives '6 and 5t, respectively.

Prior to operation of the machine, the knives 2S and 5d are adjusted to the positions as shown in Figs. l and 2, in which the lower knife is positioned Within the slot 23 a short distance below the top surface of the table top upon which the cement block 22 to be split is placed. The upper knife 5d is adjusted to lie with its edge just above the top surface of the cement block by vertically adjusting the top screw spindles 4Q with respect to the beam structure 35 to The blocks to be split may consist of conventional concrete blocks used in the building trade and made from any suitable mixture of cement, sand and gravel and having for instance a length of about 16 inches and having a square cross section of about 8 inches. However, natural stones, such as Bedford or Indiana limestone when cut to uniform sizes may also be split in the same manner as concrete blocks formed by pouring a concrete mixture in suitable molds. The splitting of the blocks is'done for the purpose of producing concrete or stone slabs having a relatively rough surface simulating in'appearance Roman brick or natural stone. These stones or slabsare adapted to be used for constructing so-called veneer walls of buildings used vas residences, stores and for other purposes.

The Voperation ofthe cement block splitting machine is as follows:

After having placed the block in position on the tab-1e top, the hydraulic jack is operated, either manually as indicated by the handle, or

.electrically by a motor, contactor controlledor the like. The upper knife 54 will descend first until it engages the top surface of the block uniformly along its entire length. The pivotal connections at 48 and 52 insure a slight tilting of the knife to effect such uniform engagement. Then the lower knife will be raised and also comes into uniform engagement along its entire length with the block. Upon continued operation of the hydraulic jack 46 there is built up a certain pressure on opposite sides of the block, the edges of the knives 26 and 54 enter very slightly into the body of the block until the block splits accurately and uniformly along the parallel lines formed by the edges of the knives. Upon release of the pressure in the jack the knives return immediately to their initial position owing to the action of the tension springs 45.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the hydraulic jack for operating the two knives is replaced by a cam and lever mechanism operated by an electric motor or other source of power. The electric motor Bil is mounted on the horizontal beam structure 3l to ist and by means of a reduction gearing drive a sprocket 6l which in turn drives `a chain 62 driving a larger sprocket 63 on a shaft te having a cam 66 secured thereto. rhe cam 65 is engaged by a roller 6l' on one end of a lever E9 having its other end pivoted at lil to a bracket li secured to 'the beam structure. The lever 6l' between its ends is pivotaily connected at 'l2 to a trunnion i4 adjustably secured Vto a screw spindle l5 by means of nuts it.' The upper end of the screw spindle l5 is pivotally connected at it to a bracket il carried by the lower knife mounting 2l. Upon energizing the motor 65 the cam Gt is rotated so as to raise the lever 6l which in similar manner as the jack d5 actuates the two knives.

Fig. 6 illustrates a somewhat simpler embodiment of the invention in which the upper knife 5tal with its mounting plates 53a is stationary during the splitting operation. In this Fig. 6, parts which are the same as in the i'lrst two described embodiments are designated with the same reference characters, such as the vertical beamsv l, 8, the lower knife structure 26, 2l, the hydraulic jack 45, 4l, etc.

The upper knife structure 53a, 54a is, however, mounted for vertical adjustment in ythe frame. For this purpose, nuts 801are secured to the upper edge of the mounting plates 53a. and screw spindles 8l extend from V'said nuts iii) upwardly through holes 82 in the upper beam 9. Nuts $3 and 84 on these screw spindles''i engage opposite sides of the beam 9 and permit a vertical adtion of the hydraulic jack only the lower knife 27 moves upwardly, raises the block 22a until it engages the upper knife 54d and then the block is split. Of course, thehydraulic jack 48, 4l may be replaced by the'cam and lever mechanism El to 'I2 shown inconnection with Fig. 5.

What Iclaim is: i `l. A machine for splitting. concrete blocks, building stones and the like,` comprising Atwo spaced vertical posts, two vertically spaced -hori- `zontal knives mounted for vertical. movementrbetween said posts, means on'said posts for guidlng said knives for movement in a single vertical plane, a horizontal beam structure mounted below said'knives for vertical sliding movement between said posts, spring means connecting the lower knife with said horizontal beam structure, a hydraulic jack mounted on said beam structure and having a lifting member engaging said lower knife, link means extending upwardly from said beam structure, means connecting said link means with the upper knife, whereby upon operation of said jack the two knives are caused to move toward each other to engage with pressure opposite sides of a concrete block positioned between said knives, said spring means suspending said beam structure from said lower knife and returning said knives to their initial position upon release of the pressure in said hydraulic jack.

2. A machine for splitting concrete blocks, building stones and the like, comprising two spaced vertical posts, two vertically spaced horizontal knives mounted for vertical movement between said posts, means on said posts for guiding said knives for movement in a single vertical plane, supports on said posts which limit the downward movement of the lower knife and on which the lower knife is loosely carried, a horizontal beam structure mounted below said knives for vertical sliding movement between said posts, springs connecting the lower knife with said horizontal beam structure, ahydraulic jack mounted on said beam structure and having a lifting member engaging said lower knife, link means extending upwardly from said beam structure, means pivotally connecting said link means with the upper knife, whereby upon operation of said jack the two knives are caused to move toward each I building stones and the like, comprising two spaced vertical posts, two vertically spaced horizontal knives mounted for vertical movement between said posts, means on said posts for guiding said knives for movement in a single vertical plane, means forming a table top secured to said vertical posts between said knives and upon which the block to be split is placed, a horizontal beam structure mounted below said knives for vertical sliding movement between said posts, spring means connecting the lower knife with said horizontal beam structure, a hydraulic jack mounted on said beam structure and having a lifting member engaging said lower knife, link means extending upwardly from said beam structure, means connecting said link means with the upper knife, whereby upon operation of said jack the two knives are caused to move toward each other to engage with pressure opposite sides of a concrete block positioned between said knives, said spring means suspending said beam structure from said lowerVr knife and returning said knives to their initial position upon release of the pressure in said hydraulic jack.

4. A machine for splitting concrete blocks,

building stones and the like, comprising tw spaced vertical posts, two vertically spaced horizontal knives mounted for vertical movement between said posts, means on said posts for guiding said knives for movement in a single vertical plane, supports on said posts which limit the downward movement of the lower knife and on which the lower knife is loosely carried, means forming a table top secured to said vertical posts between said knives and upon which the block to be split is placed, a horizontal beam structure mounted below said knives for vertical sliding movement between said posts, spring means connecting the lower knife with said horizontal beam structure, a hydraulic jack mounted on said beam structure and having a lifting member engaging said lower knife, link means extending upwardly from said beam structure, means pivotally connecting said link means with the upper knife, whereby upon operation of said jack the two knives are caused to move toward each other to engage with pressure opposite sides of a concrete block positioned between said knives, said spring means suspending said beam structure from said lower knife and returning said knives to their initial position upon release of the pressure in said hydraulic jack.

5. A machine for splitting concrete blocks, building stones and the like, comprising two spaced vertical posts, two vertically spaced horilZontal knives mounted for vertical movement between said posts, means on said posts for guiding said knives for movement in a single vertical plane, supports on said posts which limit the downward movement of the lower knife, a horizontal .beam structure mounted below said knives, springs connectingthe lower knife with said horizontal beam structure, a hydraulic jack mounted between said beam structure and said lower knife, link means extending upwardly from said beam structure, means pivotally connecting said link means with the upper knife, whereby upon operation of said jack the two knives are caused to move toward each other to engage with pressure opposite sides of a concrete block positioned between said knives, said springs suspending said beam structure from said lower knife and returning said knives to their initial position upon release of the pressure in said hydraulic jack.

CHARLES GATZKE. f

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 247,569 Maxim Sept. 27, 1881 377,500 Sagendorph et al. Feb. 7, 1888 2,188,318 Siderits Jan. 30, 1940 2,205,313 Stahl June 18, 1940 2,523,601 Swift Sept. '26, 1950 2,557,098 Graham et al. June 19, i

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,170 Great Britain Nov. 8, 1887 98,442 Germany July 29, 1898 

